1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to improving the efficiency with which photosynthetic organisms use light.
2. Description of Related Art
Photosynthetic organisms use energy from light to form chemical bonds. Energy embodied within the chemical bonds may be used at a later date. As such, chemical bonds provide a storage mechanism for the energy associated with incident light.
A supply of light is often finite in a given period of time. For a given fluence of incident light, photosynthetic organisms may use some of the light to perform photosynthesis. Some of the light may not be used for photosynthesis. Some light may be converted to heat. Some light may be absorbed and reemitted (e.g., fluoresced). Some light may damage the organism. Light that is not used for photosynthesis may not be converted into stored chemical energy within the organism, and so the energy associated with this unconverted light may not be available for subsequent use. Improving the conversion of incident light to biomass (e.g., increasing the percentage of incident energy converted to chemical bonds) may increase the efficiency of biomass production, which may increase the amount of incident solar energy available for subsequent use.